- An embarrassing or tactless blunder in social situations; a violation of accepted social norms or etiquette.
Explanation
Origin
- French, literally meaning false step.
- Adopted into English to describe mistakes specifically related to social conduct, manners, or etiquette. A social 'stumble'.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- An awkward moment.
- A social screw-up.
- Putting your foot in your mouth / He really put his foot in it.
- A clanger (UK/Aus)
- A bonehead move (implies stupidity leading to the error)
- Bad form (UK/Aus)
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- A social fuck-up.
- That was smooth as sandpaper. (Sarcastic)
Milder/Standard:
- An embarrassing mistake.
- A gaffe.
- A slip.
- Poor etiquette.
Situational Appropriateness
- Used in both informal and formal contexts to describe social errors.
- The *context* where a faux pas occurs is often related to social rules, etiquette, or formality.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Learners might mispronounce it or think it means any general mistake, not specifically a *social* one.
- Clarify it relates to manners, etiquette, and social appropriateness.
Examples
- Asking about her recent divorce was a definite faux pas.
- He committed a faux pas by using the wrong fork at the formal dinner.
- Wearing sneakers to the black-tie event was a fashion faux pas.
Dialogue
Liam: I can't believe I complimented Sarah on her 'pregnancy glow'. She's not pregnant!
Chloe: Oh no! Liam, that's a classic faux pas! What did she say?
Liam: She just stared at me. I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. Major faux pas.
Chloe: Yikes! You might need to apologize later.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Travel Tip: Pointing with your feet in Thailand is a major cultural faux pas. Be respectful! #Travel #Etiquette
- Blog Post Title: Avoid These Common Networking Faux Pas
- Comment: Interrupting the speaker constantly was such a faux pas. Really bad form.
Response Patterns
- Agreement: Oh, absolutely. Huge faux pas.
- Sharing empathy/similar experience: Ouch. I did something like that once.
- Offering advice: Yeah, best to avoid that topic.
- Downplaying (if minor): Eh, don't worry too much about it.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After hearing about a faux pas:
- What happened then?
- How did people react?
- What's the correct etiquette?
After *committing* a faux pas:
- Apologizing or trying to rectify the situation.
- Feeling embarrassed or awkward.
- Making a mental note not to repeat the mistake.
Conversation Starter
- No. Used to describe or comment on a specific social mistake within a context.
Intonation
- Stress often on faux (FOH) and pas (PAH).
- Usually spoken with a tone of slight disapproval, cringing embarrassment, or as a cautionary note. That was a bit of a FAUX PAS, wasn't it?
Generation Differences
- Understood across generations, perhaps used slightly more by those particularly conscious of etiquette or in discussions about social norms.
Regional Variations
- Widely used across English-speaking regions. Pronunciation usually FOH PAH.